The Detroit Tigers released their schedule for the 2022 season on Wednesday, and it’s… well, it’s a schedule. The Tigers will open the season on Thursday, March 31 in Seattle against the Mariners, and play seven games against AL West competition (four against the Mariners, three in Oakland against the A’s) before their home opener on Friday, April 8.
The biggest surprise on next year’s schedule comes just after the All-Star break. On Saturday, July 23, the Tigers will play a split doubleheader — both nine inning games, we hope — against the Minnesota Twins. What would normally be a Friday-Sunday weekend series is being shortened due to an Elton John concert scheduled at Comerica Park on July 18.
Other than that, there isn’t too much to write home about here. The Tigers will face teams from the NL West as their interleague opponents, along with the usual four games against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Detroit will travel to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers in late April, play road series against the Diamondbacks and Giants in June, and host the Rockies, Padres, and Giants for series throughout the season.
At first glance, the roughest stretch of the Tigers’ 2022 schedule seems to be in May. They have an off day on May 2 after the aforementioned road trip to Chavez Ravine, but then play 34 games in 35 days, including a late month road swing through Tampa, Cleveland, and Minnesota.
One interesting storyline to follow from MLB’s upcoming collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations is whether the National League will adopt the designated hitter on a permanent basis. The NL used a DH during the shortened 2020 season, and many are expecting that the designated hitter rule will (finally!) become universal starting next year.